Things You Should Know About Dating by the Time You are 30

Don't Assume Your Dating Status

You've been dating for two months and things
are going well. You're happy, he seems
content, and you told your mom about him.
You're thinking this could get serious. At this
point, it might be a good idea to see how he's
actually feeling. A simple "Are you seeing

anyone else?" goes a long way in clarifying
the direction of your relationship. Some
people would say you shouldn't assume the
guy you're seeing is single at all, that some
creeps are in relationships or married and
routinely try to see other people on the side .
I'd like to think those jerks are few and far
between. In any case, though, it's easy to weed
out the losers by simply asking whether you're
his only lady.

Remember the first time a guy bought you
flowers? Likely not. Because hopefully, many
guys have done it since. These types of
gestures are signs a man is thinking of you—
and often. Grabbing flowers, chocolates, or
other simple things is a guy saying he cares
about making you happy and knows this small
move will go a bit further than normal to
make sure that's the case. You should not have
to hope the guy you're seeing is thinking
fondly of you; you should be confident he
frequently is. If he's not making sweet
gestures here and there, then things may not
be going as well as you think.
A Man Will Not Complete You
Despite what Disney may try to tell you, you
will not find everlasting happiness in a man.
You won't just meet "the one" and never have
a fight and get along famously with his family.
Things will be tough. But more importantly,
true happiness comes from self-sufficiency. If
you cannot love yourself , you will not be able
to love another person. Don't search for
something in a man you need to develop in
yourself. Don't hope he rounds out your own
flaws. Get to know and befriend yourself, and
let that be the foundation for any romantic
relationship that comes your way.
The Chase is Fun, But Only at First
When you begin dating someone, the fact that
you like him doesn't mean you should give it
up. "It" in this case isn't necessarily sex. But
that's one form of "it." That period when you
are getting to know each other and are still
unsure of what magic might be developing is
fun. So no need to make it too easy on the guy when you initially start dating. Keep him on
his feet; unattainable is a good quality to have
at first, and the good guys will stick around
and pursue you. Those who are impatient
aren't the ones you would have enjoyed anyway. Space Is a Good Thing
There is nothing sexier than a woman who is confident in herself. With that said, men tend
to respect women who not only are okay hanging out on their own but desire that. I remember when I first starting talking to my girlfriend about us living together. She said, "I love you. But fair warning: I also really enjoy my own company." I was smitten, even more so than before. Space is a good thing. Saying
you need to do your own thing from time to time is actually a turn-on for most men (it means that you're not co-dependent). What's Good in the Beginning Is Good in the End
Pay close attention to how your guy behaves at the beginning of the relationship . How a man
appears at first sets a precedent for how he will manifest as a boyfriend long-term. If he is flaky, dismissive of your feelings, or not
respectful, don't assume you can change him. We can't change other people; we can only
change ourselves. If it's good in the beginning it will continue to be good. If there are a lot of
red flags you think you can "fix," then you are bound to end up disappointed.